Air cooler



Dec. 13, 1932.

H. A. LOCKWOOD AIR COOLER Filed March l1, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l acload@www INVENTOR BY ,a @e y@ n m@ ATTORNEY H. A. I ocKwooDl 1,891,167

AIR COOLER Filed March l1, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Dec.. 13,1932.

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HIB-AM A. vLOCKVVOOD, OF LPHOENIX,'ARIZONA AIR COOLER Application ledMarch 11, 1932. Serial No. 598,246.

My present invention has reference to a means forvcooling air andcirculating such cooled air through the rooms of dwellings and otherbuildings.

An object of the invention is the provision of means for reducing' thetemperatures in enclosures, and more particularly in enclosures occupiedby human beings, such as houses, dwellings, and other buildings, and

l@ simultaneously removing a portion of the moisture contained in saidair to thereby render the air in said enclosures cool and comfortablefor human habitation.

A further object is the provision of an air cooling device that embodiesthe desirable features of simplicity in construction, cheapness inmanufacture and thorough efficiency in practical use.

To the attainment of the foregoing the in- 2@ vention consists in theimprovement hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement.

Figure 2 is an approximately vertical longitudinal sectional viewthereof.

Figure 3 is an end view.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view approximately on the line 5-5 ofFigure 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional view approximately on the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view through the cooling chamber in whichthe cooling agent is in the nature of a water circulating coil.

As disclosed by the drawings the body or cabinet 1 of the improvementmay be highly ornamental to add to the appearance of the device whenarranged in a room. The cabinet 1 is supported on suitable corner legs,and the top of the cabinet is open but is closed by a hinged top orcover plate 2. There is approximately7 centrally arranged in the cabineta receptacle 3 for la coolingagent. In the showing of Figure 2 of thedrawings the agent comprises a block of ice and in the showing of Figure7 the agent comprises cold waterwhich is constantly circulated through5G a coil 4. bviously other cooling agents may be employed. The top ofthe receptacle is closed by a hinged door 4. Preferably the receptacleis of metal Whose outer surface may be frosted by the cold air from thecooling agent penetrating therethrough. On one end of the receptaclethere is fixed a deflect-or 5 which is V-shaped in plan and which hasits outer face covered with a metal surface 6.

The substantially V-shaped air deflector has its pointed end arranged inclose proximity to a series of shutter valves 7, each having trunnionedends that are journaled in bearings in the sides of the cabinet l, aswell' as through an inner metal lining 8 for the said cabinet. Theshutter valves have olfset ears to which is connect-ed a rod 9 and theshaft of one of the shutters has attached thereto a rack segment 10which is in mesh with a worm 13 whose shaft 14 is ournaled in suitablebearings, and which shaft passes through the bottom of the cabinet andis provided with an operating handle 15.

In the cabinet, disposed adjacent one end thereof and in close proximityto the shutter valve 7 there is an electrically driven fan' 16.

The metal inner lining 8 for the cabinet has its sides inclined, as at17, toward the center and the end of said cabinet, opposite that inwhich ther blower fan 16 is located, the angle portions terminating instraight ,0 ends which are secured to vertical cleats 17 arranged in aline with an opening, 18 in the said end of the cabinet.Y This openingis covered by a reticulated plate 19 and arranged between the cleats 17there is a series 85 of shutter valves 20. The shafts 21 for the shuttervalves pass through bearing openings in the cleats 17. These shafts haveoffset ears 22 to which is pivoted a connecting bar 23. rhe second. endof one of the shafts hasiXed thereon a segmental rack 24 that is in meshwith a worm 25 whose shaft 26 is journaled in suitable bearings andpasses through the bottom of the cabinet and has its outer end providedwith a knurled head 27.

The blower fan 16 is of the ordinary nonoscillatory type, and inoperation the shutter valves 7 are moved to fully open position and theshutter valves 20 are brought to closed position. The air from the fanforces the air around the cooling receptacle and the cooling agenttherein so that the entire cabinet is soon filled with cool air. Thehandle or wheel 27 is then operated to partly or fully open the shuttervalves 20. The valves 2O maybe arranged at any desired angle so thatcold air can be either upwardly, downwardly or forwardly directed whenthe same passes out of the cabinet. The shutter valves 7 are operated tocontrol the volume of col'd air which is forced out of the cabinet. Frompractice I have found that a cabinet of a comparatively slnall sizeconstructed in accordance with this invention and equipped with acooling agentwill, with doors open circulate cool air through all of therooms on a floor of a dwelling so that the occupants thereof will berendered comfortable regardless of torrid weather conditions. TheV-shaped deflector, as `previously inferred, causes the air stirred upby the fan to pass through the somewhat restricted passages between thesides of the cooling agent receptacle 3 and the inner metal side wallsof the cabinet, so that the air will be effectively7 cooled beforefinding an outlet through the opening 18 in said cabinet.

When ice is employed as a cooling agent Vthe receptacle 3 has itsbottoni wall tapered to its center and its said center provided with afunnel 28 that passes through the bottom wall of the cabinet andcommunicates .with the open top of a drawer 29 that is slidable throughone side of the cabinet, the said drawer containing therein a pan 30 toreceive the drippings from the ice. The drawer 29 when closed willprevent the entrance of outside air into the cabinet.

In addition to creating a circulation of cool air the invention alsoaffords a dehydrating device for removing a port-ion of the moistunJfrom the air in the room or dwelling, which moisture decreases as thetemperature decreases and which causes the air to appear to be a lowertemperature than it actually is.

It is believed that when the foregoing description has been carefullyread in connection with the accompanying drawings the construction andadvantages of my invention will be apparent to 'those skilled in the artAto which such invention relates and that further detailed descriptionwill not be required. Obviously I do not wish to be restricted to thespecific structure herein shownl and describedl and, therefore, holdmyself entitled to make such changes therefrom as fairly fall within thescope of what I claim.

Having described the invention, I claim: 1. A coldV air circulatingdevice, comprising a cabinet, a receptacle for a refrigerating agent inthe cabinet, a blower fan in the cabinet, a series of shutter valves inthe cabinet adjacent to the blower fan, means for simultaneouslyoperating said shutter valves, said `cabinet'havinga cold air outlet atone end thereof, a series of shutter valves in the cabisite the outlet,said operating means for each series of shutters comprising shaftsjournaled in bearings and projecting from the bottom of the cabinet,worms on the shafts, and toothed segments on the trunnions of certain ofthe shutter valves in mesh with the worms.

2. A cold air circulating device, comprising a cabinet, a receptacle fora refrigerating agent in the cabinet, a blowerl fan in the cabinet, aseries of shutter valves in the cabinet adjacent to the blower fan,means for simultaneously operating said shutter valves, said cabinethaving a cold air outlet at one end thereof, a series of shutter valvesin the cabinet opposite the outlet, and means for simultaneouslyoperating the shutter valves opposite the outlet, said operating meansfor each series of shutters comprising shafts journaled in bearings andprojecting from the bottom of the cabinet, worms on the shafts, andtoothed segments on the-trunnions of certain of the shutter valves inmesh with the worms, said receptacle having a bottom which is tapered tothe center thereof and said center provided with a funnel which extendsthrough the bottom of the cabinet, a slidable dra/wer for the cabinetbelow the funnel designed for the reception of a drip pan.

In testimony whereof I afi-ix my signature.

